The condition of the oral cavity can tell a lot about human health, being a kind of natural indicator. And first of all it concerns our language. Under normal conditions, it is covered with a transparent coating that is odorless, and a pale pink furrow passes through the center, dividing the taste organ into two equal halves. But in some cases, the structure and color of the tongue may change, which indicates the presence of a problem in the body. What does white plaque speak about in an adult's tongue? Let's try to figure it out.
But one thing can be said right away - such changes do not happen just like that, there is a reason for everything. And in this case, this clearly indicates the beginning of the development of a disease. Therefore, do not hesitate to visit a doctor.
General information
As already noted above, the oral cavity, and in particular our tongue, is an internal signaling of our body, by which we can judge our well-being. In some cases, there is no cause for concern, and the appearance of white plaque may indicate a reaction to minor injuries or bacteria. However, in some cases, this is a clear sign of a serious illness, and each of us changes in the shade of the tongue or discomfort can not but worry.
In fact, the white coating on the tongue in an adult is the keratinization of the filiform papillae, which cover the entire surface of the tongue. And when there are too many of them against the background of an increase in their density, then a color change can be observed. At least it does not look quite aesthetically pleasing, even in the absence of any unpleasant sensations.
As a rule, during the night rest in the oral cavity deposits from saliva, product residues from dinner, and bacteria accumulate. As a result, the tongue turns white. For the same reason, every morning we feel an unpleasant odor, which we strive to get rid of by performing morning hygiene procedures.
But if, soon after visiting the bathroom, the surface of the tongue is again covered with white coating, then this already says something. The problem may lie directly in the oral cavity or affect the internal organs.
But in addition to the appearance of white plaque on the tongue in adults in the morning, there are other symptoms, and they deliver much more discomfort to a person. It is they who force one to draw attention to themselves, saying that something is wrong with the body. In no case can they be ignored, because over time the situation may worsen even more. Self-medication is also under the strictest ban! And first of all, it is necessary to find out the cause of these symptoms and eliminate it.
Signs that should be alarming
If a white tint appears in the morning and is quickly removed, then this is not a pathological sign. In fact, this is a common occurrence.
But there are times when you need to beware:
- Swelling of the tongue against the background of its increase, marks may remain from the teeth, and talking becomes uncomfortable.
- Plaque on the tongue in adults in white appears again in some part or over its entire surface.
- Dry mouth.
- There may be inflammation on the sides.
- Saliva becomes viscous, a foreign taste appears.
- An unpleasant odor remains even after cleaning or rinsing the oral cavity.
These signs may appear singly or in combination. In any case, this is a sure sign to pay attention to the health status of your body. Perhaps in this way he wants to report on his problem.
Main reasons
What can cause white plaque to form in the tongue? And they, in fact, are many, because each person is individual in himself. And each time, doctors make a different diagnosis based on the symptoms and history of the patients. The main group of reasons may be as follows:
- damage or trauma to the tongue;
- diseases of the internal organs;
- special cases.
In case of a lesion of the tongue, this is usually associated only with the oral cavity and is treated locally. White plaque in the tongue of an adult may appear due to an allergy to medications or be the result of inflammation, infection of soft tissues. As for the injury itself, it can be obtained from tooth crowns. A broken bite can also be a cause of pathology.
Due to some internal diseases, a white coating also begins to settle on the tongue, and this applies not only to adults, but also to children, even infants. Only in this case, in addition to the raid itself, there are other signs. It is necessary to conduct treatment comprehensively, eliminating the main cause.
Special cases include several factors. This is poor oral hygiene, abuse of bad habits (alcohol, smoking). In some cases, white plaque can cause certain products or an allergic reaction to a dental rinse.
Language problems
Why can the tongue be coated white? The causes in adults can lie in the organ itself, and only a doctor can determine them. It is in his competence to prescribe the necessary treatment. And since the tongue for some pathogenic microorganisms is a favorable environment for reproduction, then all the disease may be some disease of the organ itself.
These may include:
- Glossitis - this pathology, in turn, is divided into ulcerative, catarrhal, desquamative form. It manifests itself in the form of a white plaque with red spots, which can be of various shapes and locations. Moreover, the role of these spots are altered papillae or areas with missing epithelial cells. Sometimes it is associated with a genetic abnormality, it has nothing to do with health problems.
- Galvanic stomatitis - usually occurs due to trauma from unsuccessful interaction with metal objects. In addition to a strong white coating on the tongue, an adult can also have erosion, pimples, spots, and there is a burning sensation. Due to the fact that the course of the inflammatory process is accompanied by tangible discomfort, this condition cannot be detected.
- Halitosis - is the result of the multiplication of anaerobic bacteria that cause an unpleasant odor. Usually most of them are concentrated in the basal part of the tongue. The cause of this ailment lies in poor oral hygiene.
Carbolic acid, sulfonamides, formalin, anisic or eucalyptus oils can also cause white plaque in the tongue in adults. Therefore, the composition of hygiene products should be carefully checked. And if this already happens, you need to replace them with other options.
In some cases, a close relationship is established between damage to the mucous membrane with the formation of white plaque and diseases of a neurological nature, while the tongue seems to burn. It is quite difficult to make an accurate diagnosis, because the affected nerves, which are responsible for the functionality of the organ, also lead to such a clinical picture.
Infectious diseases
A number of infectious diseases can affect not only the oral cavity, but also internal organs. The rapid development of bacteria also leads to the formation of white plaque on the tongue in adults. Causes:
- scarlet fever;
- diphtheria;
- candidiasis.
Scarlet fever refers to those diseases that are transmitted by airborne droplets. As a rule, children under 12 years old are affected by this disease. In this case, a sore throat is felt, a white coating soon (after 3-5 days) disappears. The reason for this phenomenon is streptococcus group A.
Diphtheria refers to a bacterial infection, it spreads by airborne droplets. In this case, the tongue acquires a dirty white tint in its basal part. Under a raid, an inflammatory process proceeds, posing as red. The tongue should be handled with care, otherwise it can be easily injured.
Candidiasis is a common disease among children, but can also occur in older people. And the very first sign is a white coating on the tongue in adults (photo below), and it occurs not only on the tongue, but also on the cheeks, and the oral mucosa. It all starts with a slight reddening, after which a white rash appears. In the course of further progression, the disease covers the entire oral mucosa.
As a rule, infectious diseases can be accompanied by fever, general weakness, a rash on the body, sometimes even blisters can appear. They pose a serious threat, not only to the patient himself, but also to those around him. In this regard, it is necessary to seriously take care of yourself: to diagnose and treat.
"Rich" inheritance
In addition to the above, the cause of white plaque in the tongue in adults can be due to a hereditary factor. Among them are the following ailments:
- Kraurosis is a lesion of the female genital organs from the outside during menopause.
- Leukoplakia - the disease affects the mucous membranes.
- Dermatosis is a whole set of skin diseases like psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, and neurodermatitis.
- Red lichen planus is also a skin pathology.
- Siemens, Brunauer syndromes - a genetic abnormality of the mucous membrane, sweat glands, as well as the skin.
As a rule, the diagnosis is made earlier than the person himself can suspect anything regarding his language. In addition, it is difficult to somehow influence the disease due to again the “good” heredity. Some of them are acquired throughout life, but still their treatment is very complicated.
Localization of white plaque in an adult's tongue
White plaque can cover the entire surface of the tongue or localize in a certain area. Depending on this, you can understand whether the sign is a disease or not. If the plaque is concentrated on the front of the tongue, there is a chance of a respiratory disease of an inflammatory or infectious nature. In the middle part - this is a sign of heart disease.
When localizing white plaque in the left middle part, you need to pay attention to the liver, in the right margin - to the pancreas. If the entire middle part is hidden under it - something is wrong with the stomach.
White plaque on the root of the tongue in adults can appear in different places: the edges are the kidneys, the center is the intestines. In this case, a thick coating indicates that the intestine is filled with toxins and toxins.
What can color tell us ...
In addition to white plaque, which, as we have already found out, sometimes poses no threat, the tongue can be covered with a plaque of a different color:
- Gray. Rather, it is a consequence of ignoring the treatment of those reasons that caused the tongue to become white. And this is a more serious sign. Moreover, a thick coating indicates that the disease has passed into the chronic stage, and the thicker it is, the more neglected the pathology. In addition, the tongue is covered with such a shade during the long-term use of antibiotics.
- Green. Quite a rare case, which usually happens if you abuse fatty and fried foods. This is a clear signal that the liver is very difficult to cope with their duties.
- Yellow. This color already indicates a viral infection, which usually manifests itself in high fever. In addition, a white-yellow plaque on the tongue in adults can be a sign of a violation of the digestive tract due to the accumulation of toxins and toxins. If at the same time there is still a bitter taste in the mouth, then the liver is broken.
- Brown. A sign of malfunctioning of the gallbladder. Often this is a faithful companion of alcoholics, in whom the whole tongue is brown. This is also possible when drinking coffee, black tea, chocolate in large quantities.
- Orange. A sign of the ingestion of stomach acid in the oral cavity, which usually happens with gastritis.
- Blue. Often appears due to an insufficient amount of ferrum, folic acid, vitamins B12 and C in the body. It can also indicate poor functioning of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, with heavy metal poisoning or mercury. And if the plaque was originally white, after which it acquired a blue tint, and then the tongue turned white again, a diagnosis should be made for typhoid fever or dysentery. Although the ailment will manifest itself before you notice a color change.
- Black. This is already an alarming sign, which indicates stagnation of bile, which happens with impaired liver function. Also during lead poisoning, black dots appear on the tongue. Crohn's disease is not excluded.
Diagnosis
Many of us have noticed that the therapist asks the patient to show him the tongue. In this case, the specialist examines the color, localization and thickness of the existing plaque. It is also important to determine the motor functions and the structure of the relief of the organ. But a dentist can also reveal a red tongue with a white coating on an adult. But if he suspects that the cause of this phenomenon is an internal disease, he will refer to another specialist - an infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, etc.
If a raid disturbs children, then usually you should first visit a pediatrician. And he already decides further whom he should turn to in the future. In this case, adult patients and children need to pass tests that will establish the exact cause of the raid, as well as identify a hidden disease. This is the following type of research:
- Analysis of urine;
- general blood analysis;
- back sowing of the oral mucosa;
- analysis for HIV and other infections.
In addition, the doctor may prescribe an ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract, radiography, FGDS. As a result, a general clinical picture of the state of health will be formed, which will determine if there is a threat or not.
Treatment features
By itself, a white coating on the tongue in adults does not need treatment, since it serves only as a sign of a disease. And it is necessary to treat just him. After the diagnosis, the patient can find out what kind of disease he has, after which the course of therapy begins. In this case, it is necessary to remove plaque from the tongue with a special tool, but in its absence, you can use a toothbrush. Everything should be done gently and smoothly so as not to damage the mucous membrane and not to cause infection.
And in order to prevent or reduce the amount of deposits, after each morning brushing, use rinsing agents. A decoction of chamomile, oak bark or sage also helps well. Only tincture based on oak bark should be used carefully, as the color of enamel may change.
Preventive actions
As you know, prevention cannot be dispensed with during the treatment of any disease. And the appearance of white plaque is no exception. To protect yourself from the attack of a variety of pathogenic microorganisms, you should follow simple rules. To avoid the appearance of white plaque on the tongue in an adult, daily hygiene is necessary. Moreover, the teeth need to be brushed with a non-rigid bristle. Choose only high-quality toothpaste and rinse aid. And after eating, rinse your mouth every time, getting rid of food debris.
In addition, the following is equally important:
- Visit your dentist regularly and treat any identified diseases. And if necessary, put only those prostheses, implants, crowns, braces that are made of high quality material. In this case, allergies can be avoided.
- Completely abandon bad habits that have a detrimental effect on health.
- Eat less sweets, too spicy and sour foods.
- Follow all doctor's instructions and do not ignore the treatment of existing diseases.
- Eat the right diet.
Your own health has no price! Everyone should know about this and take care of themselves. Adults should teach their children to this, and then they will be less sick and delight parents with new achievements. And in adults, the causes of white plaque in the tongue will not cause concern.